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November 18, 2022
Farm Bill Primer: SNAP and Nutrition Title Programs
The Nutrition title of the farm bill typically reauthorizes a
SNAP’s spending is largely driven by program
number of nutrition or domestic food assistance programs,
participation, which can fluctuate due to economic
including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
conditions and program rules (see Figure 1).
(SNAP, formerly the Food Stamp Program). These
Approximately 95% of SNAP spending is for the benefits
programs were last reauthorized by the Agriculture
themselves, which are 100% federally funded.
Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 farm bill; P.L. 115-334).
Administrative costs of eligibility determination and benefit
They are authorized through September 30, 2023. In a
issuance are shared between the state/territory and federal
subsequent farm bill’s Nutrition title, policymakers might
government. Other SNAP spending includes funds for
revisit 2018 debates and decisions and consider new
nutrition education and Employment and Training (E&T).
challenges and questions, including temporary changes
made during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Figure 1. SNAP Participation and Federal Spending,
FY1996-FY2021
The child nutrition programs (e.g., the National School
Constant (inflation-adjusted) FY2021 dol ars
Lunch Program and the Special Supplemental Nutrition
Program for Women, Infants, and Children [WIC]) are
typically reauthorized in a child nutrition reauthorization
bill—not a farm bill.
Nutrition Programs Typically
Reauthorized in a Farm Bill
The major programs, included in several different
permanent statutes, reauthorized in the 2018 farm bill were
SNAP and related grant programs (e.g., SNAP
Employment & Training);
Programs in lieu of SNAP: Food Distribution Program
on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), Nutrition
Assistance Program grants for several territories;
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP);
Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP);
Community Food Projects;
Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program
Source: CRS, using USDA-FNS administrative data. Spending
(SFMNP); and
amounts in FY2021 dol ars: Benefits adjusted using CPI-U Food at
Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program
Home index; Other SNAP Costs spending in FY2021 dol ars using
(GusNIP) grants.
CPI-U for Al Consumers index.
Note: FY2020 and FY2021 include additional funding provided by
These programs are administered by the U.S. Department of
COVID-19 pandemic response laws.
Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS),
(except for GusNIP, administered by USDA’s National
The programs in lieu of SNAP (except for a small amount
Institute of Food and Agriculture [NIFA]). SNAP is the
of FDPIR) are also mandatory spending. TEFAP’s
largest of USDA’s domestic food assistance programs, in
“entitlement commodity” funds for food are mandatory
both participation and spending. (See Table 1 for statistics
spending, while the program’s administrative costs are
and program summaries.)
discretionary. CSFP is discretionary spending. SFMNP and
Funding
GusNIP receive mandatory funding from sources outside of
annual appropriations bills.
According to the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO’s)
SNAP in the 2018 Farm Bill
projected costs at the time of the 2018 law’s enactment, the
Nutrition title made up approximately 76% of farm bill
Congressional consideration of the 2018 farm bill included
mandatory spending.
contentious debate centered on SNAP’s work requirements
and other eligibility rules. The enacted 2018 farm bill
SNAP is authorized as open-ended mandatory spending and
reconciled significant differences between the House- and
is funded through appropriations laws. As such, amending
Senate-passed SNAP provisions, ultimately making few
SNAP eligibility, benefits, or other program rules can have
eligibility changes. On work-related rules, the enacted bill
a budgetary impact. At the same time, the availability of
increased funding for and services provided in the SNAP
appropriated funding also affects SNAP’s operation.
Employment and Training (E&T) program and reduced
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caseload exemptions from the time limit for “able-bodied
Related CRS Reports
adults without dependents.” Among other changes, the law
CRS Report R42353, Domestic Food Assistance: Summary
required periodic re-evaluations of the Thrifty Food Plan
of Programs
(the basis of the maximum SNAP benefit) and increased
funding for TEFAP and nutrition incentives.
CRS Report R42505, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
The COVID-19 Pandemic
Program (SNAP): A Primer on Eligibility and Benefits
CRS Report R45408, The Emergency Food Assistance
The 116th and 117th Congresses’ pandemic response laws
Program (TEFAP): Background and Funding
have provided supplemental funds and policy changes for
SNAP and many of the other farm bill nutrition programs.
CRS Report R46681, USDA Nutrition Assistance
Many of these policies are tied to a COVID-19 public
Programs: Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
health emergency declaration. Policymakers may consider
ways to continue these policies or ease the transition.
Table 1. Major Nutrition Programs in the 2018 Farm Bill
FY2021
Appropriations
Program
Authorizing Statute
Program Summary
(exceptions noted) Participation
Supplemental
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 Provides to low-income households electronic benefits
$113.8 bil iona
41.6 mil ion in an
Nutrition Assistance (§1 et seq.)
redeemable for SNAP-eligible foods at SNAP-eligible retailers.
(actual costs)
average month
Program (SNAP)
Benefit amounts vary by household size and benefit calculation
(mandatory)
(formerly, Food Stamp
rules. Non-benefit SNAP funding for matching states’
Program)
administrative costs, Employment & Training, nutrition
education, and other SNAP-related costs. Operates in 50
states, District of Columbia, Guam, and U.S. Virgin Islands.
Nutrition Assistance Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and Commonwealth of the
$2.058 bil ionb
868,000 in an
Block Grants
(§28)
Northern Mariana Islands receive capped funding to administer
(mandatory)
average month
respective nutrition programs under terms negotiated with
Memoranda of Understanding with USDA.
The Emergency Food Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 Provides food commodities (and cash support for storage and
$1.58 bil ionc
Not available
Assistance Program
(§27); Emergency Food
distribution costs) through states to local emergency feeding
(actual costs)
(TEFAP)
Assistance Act (§204(a))
organizations (e.g., food banks).
(mandatory and
discretionary)
Commodity
Agriculture and Consumer
Provides supplemental monthly food packages to low-income
$325 mil ionb
662,000 in an
Supplemental Food
Protection Act of 1973 (§4(a)) seniors.
(discretionary)
average month
Program (CSFP)
Food Distribution
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 Provides, in lieu of SNAP benefits, food commodities to low-
$87.8 millionb
48,000 in an
Program on Indian
(§4(b)); Agriculture and
income households on Indian reservations and to Native
(mandatory)
average month
Reservations (FDPIR) Consumer Protection Act of
American families residing in Oklahoma or in designated areas
1973 (§4(a))
near Oklahoma.
Senior Farmers’
Farm Security and Rural
Provides vouchers/coupons to low-income seniors to purchase
$20.6 mil ion
726,000
Market Nutrition
Investment Act of 2002 (§4002) fresh produce at farmers’ markets and other direct-to-
(mandatory)
(FY2020)
Program (SFMNP)
consumer venues.
Community Food
Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 Competitive grants to nonprofit organizations for programs
$5 mil ion
Not available
Projects
(§25)
that improve access to locally produced food for low-income
(mandatory)
households.
Gus Schumacher
Food Conservation and Energy Competitive grants for projects that increase low-income
$45 mil ionb
Not available
Nutrition Incentive
Act of 2008 (§4405)
consumers’ purchase of fruits and vegetables by providing
(mandatory)
Program (GusNIP)
incentives at SNAP points of purchase and (added by 2018
program
farm bil ) providing produce prescriptions to SNAP/Medicaid
participants.
Source: Participation and actual costs data from August 2022 USDA-FNS Key Data Report, dated November 10, 2022. Appropriations data
from P.L. 116-260, Division B and/or P.L. 115-334. SFMNP funding and data displayed for FY2020 from USDA-FNS program website.
a. FY2021 total includes COVID-19 pandemic supplemental appropriations and/or policy changes that authorize increased spending.
b. Displayed figure does not include supplemental funding provided in COVID-19 response acts in FY2021. See CRS Report R46681,
USDA Nutrition Assistance Programs: Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
c. Includes bonus and entitlement purchases and spending on administrative costs.
Gene Falk, Specialist in Social Policy
Kara Clifford Billings, Analyst in Social Policy
Randy Alison Aussenberg, Specialist in Nutrition
IF12255
Assistance Policy
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Farm Bill Primer: SNAP and Nutrition Title Programs
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